Panasonic may be out of the plasma panel game, but that just means that it's now focusing all of its efforts on LED-lit LCD HDTVs. The company held a briefing on Wednesday in New York about its upcoming lines and its plans for the future. The main emphasis was on 4K, or ultra-high definition (UHD) televisions, and how its history with plasma panels will reflect that. Panasonic also focused heavily on 4K gaming with PCs.

The Future of 4K
The high-end AX800U screen was the centerpiece of the event, a THX 4K certified display with HDMI 2.0 and support for 4K content at up to 60 frames per second. Its LED backlight uses news phosphors that, according to Panasonic, make the screen DCI 98 percent compatible, or can cover nearly all of the DCI color space.

4K video still lacks a consistent media or digital distribution method, so Panasonic is looking to how 4K content can otherwise be found. PC gaming is a promising area where users can easily enjoy native UHD video, as long as their computers can handle it. Because of this, Panasonic highlighted the potential of 4K PC gaming, and pointedly noted that E3 2014 in Los Angeles next month will have many upcoming titles that, on the PC, will be playable in 4K native resolution. To demonstrate this, the AX800 displayed a sample video captured from Slightly Mad Studio's Project Cars, a PC racing game. It indeed looked smooth and crisp, though I couldn't verify that the source was 60 frames per second.

While Panasonic wouldn't be more specific, a representative said that many companies planning to show upcoming titles at E3 requested 4K-capable displays. With nothing confirmed besides the far-flung potential of current-generation systems like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in regards to 4K content, this indicates that PC gaming is the ultra HD future. Gaming PCs are currently the only systems that can produce 4K native entertainment on their own, and the current consoles aren't quite up to the task yet.

Outside of gaming, Panasonic demoed the AX800U against its ZT60 plasma and another, LED model from last year. All three screens showed 1080p native video, with the AX800U upscaled. I didn't see any additional detail or clarity beteween the AX800U and the other screens, but it looked as crisp without any sort of blotchiness or aliasing from upconverting.

HDTV With a Sound BarBesides the AX800U, Panasonic showed off most of its upcoming 1080p HDTV line for 2014. They seem to mostly be incremental upgrades from previous generations, focusing largely on tweaked video processing and Panasonic's revamped Life+ Screen main menu, which takes last year's My Home Screen menu and attempts to make it more accessible and intuitive. The most notable 1080p HDTV displayed was the AS640, a screen that comes with its own sound bar in the box. Many retailers and manufacturers have offered bundles of both HDTVs and sound bars, but as separate items combined at retail. This seems to be the first HDTV released in North America to include a sound bar in a single package.

The Panasonic AX800U is now shipping. It's available in a 58-inch version for $3,799.99 and a 65-inch version for $4,499.99. Panasonic has not yet announced availability or pricing for the AS640.

About the Author

Will Greenwald has been covering consumer technology for a decade, and has served on the editorial staffs of CNET.com, Sound & Vision, and Maximum PC. His work and analysis has been seen in GamePro, Tested.com, Geek.com, and several other publications. He currently covers consumer electronics in the PC Labs as the in-house home entertainment expert... See Full Bio

Get Our Best Stories!

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.